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Friday, August 19, 2011

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Issue 3

E D I T O R I A L L Y

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PUBLISHED SINCE 1906

I N D E P E N D E N T

S T U D E N T

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http://utdailybeacon.com

Vol. 118

N E W S P A P E R

O F

T H E

U N I V E R S I T Y

O F

T E N N E S S E E

I-House welcomes students from abroad International, American students mingle in evening filled with dancing, entertainment American campus living. In the past there have been trips to see the wonderful sights of Tennessee, such as a hiking trip to the Smoky Mountains and a tour of the mysterious Lost Sea Adventure. There were also culturally enlightening ses-

The I-House is a multicultural atmosphere where individuals from many different cultures are able to share experiences with one another and learn mutual respect and understanding. The I-House Committee describes the The International House combines dancing, free pizza house as a place where any and all students can meet and and unlimited free non-alcoholic drinks to remove borders learn about every culture representand introduce the new intake of international ed at the university. students to UT. Founded in 1969 — the current This week, the I-House hosted its annual building having been constructed in “Beyond All Borders” party, where international 1995 — its primary purpose is to students and their American counterparts were help international students with any invited to come down to the I-House and booneeds and to provide a “home away gie, with the reward of free food and drinks. from home” environment. Rajesh Jena, graduate student in food sciThe promotion of cross-cultural ence, said she believed the party was a great exchange is another important facsuccess. tor of the I-House, as well as under“We had over 400 students from the U.S. and standing between American stuabroad show up,” Jena said, “including students dents from various cultures and stufrom the likes of Germany, Finland, Denmark, dents from cultures around the Sweden, Japan, China and more. It was a great world. success and definitely helped the students inteThe I-House stresses that everygrate in a friendly and fun environment.” one is welcome as citizens of the In the parking lot next to the I-House, stuworld. Americans, international students were treated to a DJ playing a selection of dents, scholars, faculty, staff and the latest chart hits and dancefloor fillers. There members of the community are was even a lighting rig to help brighten spirits invited to meet, study and get to and keep the party going into the late hours. know one another. Matthias Traeger, a second-year computer As the students of the world took science and business exchange major from their tired steps away from the IMannheim, Germany, was also positive about Tara Sripunvoraskul • The Daily Beacon House party and back towards their the experience. “It was really great of the I-House to go to the Students learn how to cook Korean food on July 29, 2010, at the International House. new homes on campus, they took effort of organizing such a fun event,” Traeger The I-House holds several events throughout the year to encourage students to learn with them not only full stomachs and beats still ringing in their ears, said. “It was brilliant getting to meet and find more about their fellow international students. but also a welcome to the warm and out about foreign and American students alike. friendly world of UT, which is someAnd the free food wasn’t a bad thing either.” This party was part of a series of creative events organ- sions involving a Kenyan culture night and a Russian cook- thing the people who work at the I-House hope those students can treasure for the rest of their lives. ized by I-House to help ease foreign students into ing demonstration.

Jamie Greig

Staff Writer

Leaders assist in Welcome Week come and glad they came to UT and to assure them that they always have someone Staff Writer to talk to at any time,” Panter said. New students are encouraged to take part To achieve their goal of providing what is in the Welcome Week activities and to take best for students to succeed, UT faculty and advantage of the resources offered to them staff must start from the very beginning of a during this week as well as throughout their student’s college career: freshman year. UT has created the Welcome Leaders entire academic career. Two friends, Jennifer Brown, freshman in Program, designed to ease freshmen into many different aspects of life on a large col- business management, and Michael Woods, undecided freshman, were two of the thoulege campus. During Welcome Week, each freshman sands of new students who took advantage of student is assigned to a specific group led by the Welcome Week opportunities. “It was really helpful that they showed us one Welcome Leader. where all of our classes were,” Brown said. “I Each Welcome Leader would never have has the responsibility made it to some of of guiding his or her my classes without group through all of that help.” the different activities Woods felt the during Welcome Week, same sentiments including the Life of regarding the prothe Mind discussion gram. groups that each stu“It was really fun dent is required to take being able to go to part in. all of the events and There are over 170 go around campus upperclassmen taking and see where the Welcome Leader everything was,” position to help make Woods said. sure every freshman – Jennifer Brown, freshman in “Welcome Week has a smooth, stressbusiness management, has been a lot of fun free transition into the on the Welcome Week Leaders and I feel more conUT atmosphere. fident walking Throughout across campus with Welcome Week, the Welcome Leaders will be at each event point- getting lost.” Students are also encouraged to stay ing students in the right direction and even showing them where their individual classes involved on campus with other activities, including the other programs within the are located. The leaders are part of a program that was Office of Student Activities such as the launched by the Office of Student Activities. Central Program Council. The CPC is the The Welcome Leaders Program is a type center for student programming promoting of mentoring opportunity for the new stu- all areas of development in students. Another program within Student dents to get to know some of the upperclassActivities is Team VOLs. This program men at UT and get a feel for how to survive focuses on community service and outreach. college, said Ashleigh Moyer, the office director. The program helps students achieve aca- It is designed to get students involved, not demic success and familiarizes new students only with the UT campus, but within their with all the resources available on campus community and the rest of the world. The while introducing freshmen to the new and Welcome Leaders introduced both programs to students, prompting Woods to already get old traditions UT has to offer. Even after Welcome Week concludes, new involved on campus. “I did Ignite and had a lot of fun,” Wood students are still encouraged to contact their Welcome Leaders if they ever have any ques- said. “I met so many awesome people. I also plan on getting involved in a recreation club.” tions or need advice throughout the year. There are many opportunities to get One of the Welcome Leaders, Brandi Panter, senior in English, joined the program involved on campus: Welcome Week is just to help new students avoid being those fresh- the beginning. Staff and faculty hope that all men on campus who do not know anyone and students, new and returning, get or stay involved on campus and make their college have a hard time meeting new people. “I want to make new students feel wel- experience one to remember.

Jessica Vinge

It was really helpful

when they showed us

where all of our classes

were. I would never have made it to some of my

classes without that help.

Jake Wheeler • The Daily Beacon

Chris Ruppelt, junior in graphic design, sits in his typography class on Wednesday listening to professor Deborah Shmerler.

Park officials contemplate extra fee The Associated Press CHEROKEE, N.C. (AP) — The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is considering charging for backcountry camping and hiring more rangers to manage what happens in the deep woods. Park officials plan to hold open houses Tuesday in Cherokee and Thursday at the park’s headquarters in Gatlinburg, Tenn., to discuss proposed changes in how it manages backcountry camping. The changes would include shifting to online reservations, charg-

ing a camping fee, and hiring more rangers, the Asheville Citizen-Times reported Monday. The 500,000-acre national park on the North Carolina-Tennessee border is one of the country’s most popular with more than nine million visitors last year and is one of the few that doesn’t charge an entrance fee. The park requires those staying overnight in the 89 backcountry sites to get a permit, but the reservations office is open just three hours a day because of staffing shortages. Campers complain that

lack of oversight means people take campsites without reservations, leave garbage and bring dogs that aren’t allowed. “I’ve seen a lot of abuse of the backcountry campsites. I’ve had a reservation and get to a campsite and it’s full with people who didn’t have reservations,” said Cindy McJunkin of Candler, who camps in the Smokies at least once a month. “I’ve often wished that if they have rules, then they should have enough staff to make sure the rules are enforced. But if there’s no entrance fee, why should there be an entry fee for backpackers?”


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